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I recently sent out my latest newsletter (if you didn't get it-shame on you!) Join my email list NOW CLICK HERE and enter your email address.
It talked about everything that was coming up, etc. But here's the stuff on my heart.
My heart is so full. Like full full. Beyond the point of overflow. I'm beyond tired and feeling slightly overwhelmed with all the stuff that I have to do and haven't done but I just can't stop smiling. I really can't.
The past few months have been amazing.
Amazing to the point that I haven't even had the chance to process it all...I've been in 3 shows...on 3 different stages...in 3 different STATES!! Like for real can you believe it? I promise I'm living my dream.
Have you ever had a cast and felt like they were your family? Like you geniunely loved every member that touched the stage with you? That your connections and commitments were so pure and without pretense?
Have you?
Well I have, and it just ended this weekend and it was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life.
Best Kept Secrets written by Robin Baker of Total Praise Generation is such an amazing show...that I sincerely don't have to words to describe it. The show was amazing and the cast is PHENOMENAL!! Hopefully we'll do it again...it was such a good time.
---I will say though that I had to sing a solo (grrr) and I messed up! Double grrr!! I almost had a meltdown (like for real) but I got some great advice from my stage dad, (and comedian extraordonaire) Shawn Cornelius..."Perfection is a myth baby girl" and I'll carry that with me for the rest of my life. The set was beautiful, the audiences were excellent and I felt like I could fly! Here are some pix from the show. :)
Ms. Royale Mosely, my boo, actress, friend, photog of these lovely pix
Behind the scenes just being me :)
Shouts out to my lovely cast-mates: Steven Strickland, Robin Baker, Jay McClure, Michele Woodson, Shawn Cornelius, Martinique Moore, Donald Chartruce Calliste. Director: Mo Williams. Stage Manager: Neyoka Wells
They really rocked this show :) We really were a family. Look out for the DVD (ah man, I messed up-crap) it'll be on sale soon.
Here are pix from the show taken by Tyler Johnson over at Urban Room Thanks Robin for sharing them with the world :)
Just realized I wore a lot of black...#notetoself
I wanna tell ya'll what happened SOOO Bad!!
The whole family :)
2. Dying to Live
Now this show was amazing too...I've never gotten the chance to play a character like Monique...it was quite the challenge, but I loved every minute of it. I really want to do it again and hopefully we'll get to so you can see for yourselves...it was really moving. My cast members held me down for real (again-sorry I left you stranded Jay...didn't mean to, won't happen again)
This show was the second of the day (did I mention I did 3 shows in one day...some have called me insane-but it was fun) After I'd eaten, yes that's still important, I was ready to go.
Reasons I like working with TPGEN...aside from them being phenomenal, well attended shows that pay (yes that's still important) There's the added touch of hair and make-up that happens before every show. Why is this important you ask?
Well perhaps it's not that important to you, but it's really special to me. My motto is look great, feel great. So if before each time you hit the stage, you have the added bonus of looking your best, there's a little extra boost of confidence that guides each step. Can I do without hair/make-up, sure. Would I want to? Nope. And with TPGEN I don't have to.
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Shouts out to my cast-mates Jay and Steven (it has begun) And Royale, Robin, Tre, Jennifer, and Mo that held down the other side of the stage.
3. Love's Gonna Get Ya
Now this show...simply hilarious! I mean really, it was so fun to play Nikki. A little bitter sweet that Michele (my new big sister from BKS) and I didn't get to act together again (because she's about to make me an aunt) but I got to play her role.
So we did this show twice. The first one, could've been a little better, I think we should've warmed up before we hit that stage, perhaps our energy would've been up a bit more. I felt it myself. I wish I could call a re-do. But overall it was a good show.
And then here comes the hard part. Our 2nd show...you know the one that Mario and Lorin (my actual brother and sister) drove up 5 hours from North Carolina to see me perform in, almost got canceled 10 minutes before show-time. But let me tell you how amazing James and Michele are as producers. 4 minutes before show-time they cut our entire show down to about an hour so that we could still perform it. LIKE FOR REAL!!
Who does that? And does it successfully? I take my hat off to their professionalism, their ability to adjust in adverse situations, and in leading the 'troops' to victory. That's honestly what it felt like. Michele was the general and told us what to do and where to go in a matter of 6 minutes. It was incredible. And it was awesome to watch. Of course, I feel like their story got robbed and they weren't fully able to tell it the way it was actually written, but for what they faced in those brief moments, I'm still grateful we got to perform.
Reasons I love working with James and Michele over at J'Nointed Entertainment. Aside from the fact that I get to work with the cutest married couple :) but seriously, I think I mentioned their professionalism, but it goes above what I've seen in productions past. They are super fast, efficient with time management (which is SOOO important) and go above and beyond for their actors. Like seriously.
Everything was taken care of in DC. All we, creative people I mean, had to worry about was showing up and giving our best each time we touched the stage. Everything else, James and Michele thought about and provided for us before we left NY. AND THAT'S AMAZING!!! Like for real, it felt like being on tour :) makes me look forward to what super stardom is gonna be like.
And aside from the fact that it was like camp with all my cast members around the whole time. Of course there were laughs (lots), food, tears (lots) and great convos. Thanks James and Michele Woodson, Danielle Monae, Steven Strickland, Jay McClure, Martina Holley (my new bff), Nicholas Miles Newton (who surprisingly is from right around the corner from Carrollton, GA so you know we were destined to work together), Claudia McClain, Gabriel Hamilton, Dorothy Treadwell, Arissa Dorsey (who has the most beautiful voice-8pm show you didn't get to fully experience it but you will), Joshshina McClotten for making this experience incredible for me.
And I'm sorry everybody for completely bawling like a baby when I left you all...it's hard being so far away from family and you all really did become like family while working together for so long. Until we meet again, I'll hold onto the memories.
My mama taught me if you don't have something nice to say you shouldn't say anything at all. For that reason, I'm going to keep my comments about a festival-that-will-not-be-named to myself.
Now for pix :)
My sis (even tho you're not supposed to) gathered this pic from the curtain call
My beautiful sis came to show support...now that's love :)
All the gals from LGGY
Getting ready backstage...Idk why I put this one up...
A special moment between sisters. Love this gal. Thanks Arissa for capturing the moment
How about a video to document the festivities?
4. Memorial Day
Oh man, it really has been a long time since I've blogged. OK! So Memorial Day 2011 was AMAZING this year. My other sister! The little one, I call her a baby, came up to visit! And I wanted to show her an amazing time so I drug her all over New York city!! We went to Coney Island for the very first time and it was AMAZING.
I know I keep using that adjective but I really love her and hope she had a good time. She even went with me to rehearsal for Love's Gonna Get Ya, so it's kind of like both my sisters saw the show! We did so much, saw so much and just had a lot of fun. It's been awhile since we've seen each other so there are always screams when we first get together :)
I'm rocking the natural 'do. I even went swimming #blackgirlsdothat
I'll go back to Coney Island for sure!
Not too busy on Memorial day :) but it's still NYC! Had an authentic Coney Island hotdog on the boardwalk...it was awesome.
AND!! One of my students works there as a lifeguard, how small of a world is this!
My beautiful little sis...love this gal, soooo proud of her!
Now what would Memorial Day be without a little video? INCOMPLETE!! For your entertainment. And for mine :)
5. Jarret and I
So Jarret Janako and I (I'm sure you've heard of him before if you follow this blog at all.
Well we did a promo photo-shoot the other day and I wanted to share some raw, unedited pix with you from the shoot. Hopefully I can get the edited ones soon and share.
(Before that...we're working with a new commercial agent as a result!!) Big thangs poppin'
Nike do I hear ya callin? I think we can rock Adidas too...jus' sayin somebody pass them our number :)
Photographer. Ondre Hunt over at http://hunt4photos.com/
Makeup: Tiffany Whitaker over at Beauty Mark
Styling: Curran Swint over at http://kingsruletogether.com/ and Kia Denise over at http:
//www.frommystyle2urs.blogspot.com/
How about some behind the scenes stuff?
Me and my guys reunited. With Italian food...can't get any better :)
6. Girls' Night Out and Intrepid
So...I've started working with a new agency here in the city...and (yep you guessed it) they're AMAZING!! They have the coolest events that I get to go to and socialize and work...it's a wonderful marriage if I do say so myself.
So as a promo model, you basically make sure everyone is having a nice time and smile. Easy enough for me. The first event, they rented a limo (check) to drive all 15 lovely girls out to Long Island (check) to hang out (check) and take some pictures (check).
The second event was on top of the USS Intrepid (yeah...started it all...Fleet Week, etc -Memorial Day, it all ties in) where we got to be backstage of The Roots (CHECK) concert (check) and chill with them in their greenroom before the show (um...can I say double check?) It was an incredible night and one I will never forget. Did I mention you get paid? (CHECK)
Here's some pix :0
Ok ok, you've twisted my arm...how about a video?
All for now, the past two months as you see have been completely filled and I feel like I'm going off gas fumes right now. I laid everything in me on the stage and into each project...I think that's how it should be. Time to refuel, need to spend some time down south :). See some folk!
OH!! Speaking of! If you're in Atlanta, or the Atlanta area and have some time...my film Pour Aimer, Encore will be screening:
July 9th, 7:30-10pm
The Open Mind Center
1575 Old Alabama Road, Suite 213
Roswell, GA
Click Here for more info and to RSVP.
PPS...Kirk Franklin's "Hello Fear" is incredible and is on repeat in my life...I'm working on living my life Fearless, Limitless, and Powerful...and that album keeps me inspired...don't have it, go get it. Truly worth it.
Love and Light guys...now stop reading and GO CHASE YOUR DREAMS CUZ THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING :)
~Lenore
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